Headache rack questions

[RizzenDaWizzen]

Hey everyone, I’ve been looking to add a headache rack to my f250. I am going to be building it, I want to make kinda of like an overland rig but not as much stuff on the side. And more of a basket for coolers, tent poles, etc. With the occasional trip to the steel yard or lumber yard for materials when I don’t want to haul a trailer.

I was curious has anyone done pocket stakes and deformed their corner pockets, cracked their rails, etc? I can’t do the usual of putting angle iron down the inside of the bed I have the backflip mx4 I believe. This rack will be mostly used when hunting out of state. I would like to keep it in to keep our gear out of the weather and not get stolen.

I was thinking of doing flat bar along the rail of the bed and then doing tubing to make a “truss” for the front rack and rear rack to spread the tension and not tear or deform the corners. And then a top bar between front and back hoop for my “baskets”.

If anyone has any suggestions please shoot away and if I am over complicating it let me know. Not thinking of something simple. I just hate to tear up a new trucks bed with something I’ve never done before.


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[GSPHUNTER]

I hope someone response to this so I can figure out what you are trying to do.

 

[RizzenDaWizzen]

Lol I wish I had my drawings to show what I was thinking. But the one day I leave my work bag at the office I’ll post picture tomorrow to help show what I am thinking.


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[Crowmangler]

So if I understand correctly, you're wanting to take the new "rack" on & off while the backflip cover is still in place? And you won't be able to "flip" the cover up & fold back while the rack is in place because there won't be enough clearance? In other words, the bottom of your "baskets" will be just a few inches above the top of the backflip cover, correct?

 

[RizzenDaWizzen]

Well, I am trying to get the best of both worlds and I don't think it is going to work out. I want full use of the backflip but have a headache rack/overland carrier, that won't hurt the structure of my bed.

I am concerned with the pocket stakes holding the headache rack in place will eventually wear the aluminum bed down and cause cracks. Magnum Headache racks have pocket stakes and a small piece of angle iron that I believe is also bolted to the bed. But I don't know anyone that has one or if long term it will hold up. Everyone I know has angle iron the length of the bed with bolts all the way down.

Why I was thinking of making a "truss", I am attaching a picture below from Fab Four they call it a Headache Rack Modifier. So instead of gripping the inside of the bed as they do. It will be welded to a flat plate, that is also welded to the headache rack and bolted to the bed rail.

Yes, the bottom of the "basket" will be just a few inches above the backflip I fold it back. Here is something similar to what I am thinking of building but I wouldn't go over the cab, and it wouldn't be that tall.


Again if I am overcomplicating this, or overthinking it, let me know. I have never had a headache rack or carrier and just want to make sure I don't destroy my bed, due to me not wanting to remove the bed cover.

 

[Crowmangler]

I may be wrong but It would have to be close to that high because the backflip panels are almost as high as the cab when folded back. At least that's what it looks like on their website.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Now I see your problem. Best of luck finding solution.

 

[RizzenDaWizzen]

Haha you may be correct thinking about it. I need to go measure that.

Thank you, again I may be asking too much. Might have to throw out the cover for strength and mounting options.


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[Wrench]

If you plan on having any load bearing ability, flat bar is going to yield way too soon unless you truss the top. You can use tube or truss...but just flat bar is going to make a mess.

 

[RizzenDaWizzen]

If you plan on having any load bearing ability, flat bar is going to yield way too soon unless you truss the top. You can use tube or truss...but just flat bar is going to make a mess.

Everything would be made out do tube. Except what sits in the bed rail.


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[Wrench]

Imagine the center of gravity for the load you'll place on the rack. It will be near cantilever by design if I understand that the load bearing portion will be over the cab.

If you think about a mobile crane or forklift, as the load applied moves away from the c/g of the machine, the rear becomes light until it tips. When that occurs in your design, the front will have compression and the rear will be in tension. The load can be distributed down the bed by extending the flat bar, but flat bar has nearly zero strength on it's side, so a truss can be used above it to add strength and distribute the load.

 

[Billy Goat]

Why not still use angle iron, but instead of inside the bed, rotated 180 so the leg is up? Could use it for better tie down points. It would be like the angle on the magnum headache rack. You would need to make everything pretty squared off for the tonneau to actually fold up, be a pretty large cage really.

If it were me I'd probably look at pulling the bed caps to mount it. You could drill through the top of your bed, then sandwich the bed rails between the angle and some flat stock under. If you want to pull it off, you just put the trim caps back on and it covers the holes. My trucks have all been getting the bed drilled to mount my auxiliary tank. Never given it much thought, but I guess a lot wouldn't want to drill holes in a new truck.

I have made a few headache racks, I always just used flat stock on top of the bed rails, but I wasn't trying to support any weight overhead with them where I was worried about the load forces.

 

[CCooper]

I have built a rear support for the rear stake pocket of a super duty long bed to haul pipe with a pro tech headache rack before. I started with a piece of 3x2 aluminum box tube and essentially coped it to fit the stake pocket , then used flat bar to box it back in. Drilled and installed a 5/8 nutsert, and bolted it from the inside of the box through a hole in the stake pocket .From here I cantilevered off and built a pipe cradle with tie-off points. I think you could do the same in the stake pockets here and weld it to your flat bar on top of your bed rails. I do think you would want to run a another flat bar on edge or a pice of box tube as a strong- back full length of the bed rail stitch -fillet welded to your flat bar sitting on the bed rail . I would use 3/8 or 1/2 flat bar for some rigidity. Depends on how much max weight you are looking to haul on it, but sounds doable.

 

[RizzenDaWizzen]

Why not still use angle iron, but instead of inside the bed, rotated 180 so the leg is up? Could use it for better tie down points. It would be like the angle on the magnum headache rack.

Looks is all, wasn’t a huge fan of the angle iron sticking up. And drilling into the bed rails don’t bother me, more worried about bending my rails from lack of support.


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[RizzenDaWizzen]

I have built a rear support for the rear stake pocket of a super duty long bed to haul pipe with a pro tech headache rack before. I started with a piece of 3x2 aluminum box tube and essentially coped it to fit the stake pocket , then used flat bar to box it back in. Drilled and installed a 5/8 nutsert, and bolted it from the inside of the box through a hole in the stake pocket .From here I cantilevered off and built a pipe cradle with tie-off points. I think you could do the same in the stake pockets here and weld it to your flat bar on top of your bed rails. I do think you would want to run a another flat bar on edge or a pice of box tube as a strong- back full length of the bed rail stitch -fillet welded to your flat bar sitting on the bed rail . I would use 3/8 or 1/2 flat bar for some rigidity. Depends on how much max weight you are looking to haul on it, but sounds doable.

Over the course of that back rack did you have any trouble with cracks where it stuck into the pocket stakes?? And do you have pictures of what you did?

I have also thought doing the flat bar on bed rail with tubing above it, I’ll upload a quick sketch


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[RizzenDaWizzen]

Sorry if the quality is crappy. My loads won’t be too heavy, I just want to make sure it will handle way more then I want to ever put on there. We always seem to get our butts in trouble if we go light duty, 9 times out of 10 we think this trailer will work. 1 year in I am rebuilding it because we bent the tongue or something.


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[CCooper]

Over the course of that back rack did you have any trouble with cracks where it stuck into the pocket stakes?? And do you have pictures of what you did?

I have also thought doing the flat bar on bed rail with tubing above it, I’ll upload a quick sketch


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No cracks to date, it was all fabricated from aluminum and not intended to haul much weight. It only get's used every once in awhile for hauling lighter duty steel and PVC pipe.

 

[RizzenDaWizzen]

No cracks to date, it was all fabricated from aluminum and not intended to haul much weight. It only get's used every once in awhile for hauling lighter duty steel and PVC pipe.

Gotcha. Yeah I don’t have the aluminum spool gun, I would have to do mine out of mild steel. But that’s good to know. Thank you.


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[Billy Goat]

Looks is all, wasn’t a huge fan of the angle iron sticking up. And drilling into the bed rails don’t bother me, more worried about bending my rails from lack of support.


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Well, make it look Purdy.


Put tie down holes in a pattern, but keep them down the middle height wise to keep it strong.

 

[RizzenDaWizzen]

Well, make it look Purdy.


Put tie down holes in a pattern, but keep them down the middle height wise to keep it strong.

Haha, I am not know to make my welding projects look pretty. But they hold, then again it’s usually tractor equipment and it doesn’t have to be pretty. Just has to work.

This I have to look at and ride in. It’s gonna look good or I’ll go straight mad max style on it.


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